Taking the wheels off the router...

Last shelf unit roughed in. So we're finished using the router and...

...we're about to begin using the sander and chop saw.

After more than a week lollygagging around about what to do with the last shelf unit over the door (we couldn't decide on size, spacing, and how to support it) I finally get the thing built and hung over the doors. We decided to just go with the most prevalent size used in the rest of the units (12 inches) as this would allow us to display items like vases, figures or whatever, rather than just being limited to small books or items if we kept the same spacing as the 9 inch media units directly adjacent.

I'm still not convinced this looks good, but trusting in what Pillion wants as she's usually right, I went ahead and made them to those specs:

All the angles look wonky due to the wide-angle lens, these really are all square!

After looking for what seemed forever at all sorts of brackets and corbels, we ordered this large (11x16 inch) cast iron bracket that will eventually get installed under the unsupported end of the over-door shelf once the finished wood is attached (near the small block taped above the doors in the photo) :

Extra large cast iron bracket from SignatureHardware.com

The next decision will be whether to use narrow shelf trim, which are the same thickness as the shelves  and would allow no overhang, or to use the wider trim pieces that would match the upright trim, but would allow some overhang at the edges (the shelves are roughly 3/4 inch thick. The thin trim is also 3/4, but the wider trim is 1.5 inches, leaving a 3/4 overhang)
I like the look of the wide, 1.5 inch trim, as its the same as I'd be using for the upright trim as well. But on the close spacing of the media units (only 9 inches), that 3/4 inch overhang might prove problematic, or at the very least look weird (making the usable height about 8.25 inches).
Here's comparisons of both - from atop and from below. Please comment and let me know if you have a preference!

Wide trim. This would be the same trim as used on the upright edge on the right as well.

Wide trim from below, showing overhang.

Thin Trim

Thin Trim from below.  Its exact thickness, so no overhang.

I still think I like the wider trim, even with the overhang, but will defer to popular opinion on this.

Once I decide on what trim to use, it'll be time to sand all the shelves, cut and sand all the trim pieces, paint the shelves (in white semi-gloss) and stain the trim (maybe Minwax Red Oak).

The 80 grit's for removing stains and manufacture stamps, with 180 grit to finish.

Oops - in my haste to get sanding, I almost forgot the window seat!
It'll be roughly 17 inches high, 24 inches deep, and almost 4 feet wide beneath the window. And, I'll have to reroute a floor vent that's currently beneath the window to exit out the front of the window seat base instead. I've ordered a cast iron vent for the front of the window seat, hopefully to tie in with the iron bracket design cue, and will need to build a plenum into the seat base for ducting the heat/air out there.

So I guess the next update will cover window seat construction (so close, so close...)

Previous postings on the library construction:

Part One

Part Two

Part Three